It is an object of the present invention to provide an electrode capable of maintaining superior capacity retention without destruction of an electrode structure, even in the case of using an active material including silicon.The present invention relates to “a binder for a lithium cell, the binder comprising polyacrylic acid cross-linked by a cross-linking agent selected from the compounds described in the general formulae [1] to [13] and the polymer described in the general formula [14] (provided that the one which includes a functional group-containing vinylidene fluoride-based polymer is excluded)”; a “composition for producing an electrode of a lithium cell, the composition comprising 1) an active material containing silicon, 2) a conductive assistant and 3) a cross-linked-type polyacrylic acid (provided that the one containing a functional group-containing vinylidene fluoride-based polymer is excluded)”; and an “electrode for a lithium cell, the electrode comprising 1) an active material containing silicon, 2) a conductive assistant, 3) a cross-linked-type polyacrylic acid, and 4) a current collector (provided that the one containing a functional group-containing vinylidene fluoride-based polymer is excluded)”.