Enhanced thermoelectric figure of merit in edge-disordered zigzag graphene nanoribbons

Abstract

We investigate electron and phonon transport through edge disordered zigzag\ngraphene nanoribbons based on the same methodological tool of nonequilibrium\nGreen functions. We show that edge disorder dramatically reduces phonon thermal\ntransport while being only weakly detrimental to electronic conduction. The\nbehavior of the electronic and phononic elastic mean free paths points to the\npossibility of realizing an electron-crystal coexisting with a phonon-glass.\nThe calculated thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) values qualify zigzag\ngraphene nanoribbons as a very promising material for thermoelectric\napplications.\n