Quantum correlations and ergotropy

Abstract

Understanding the role of classical and quantum correlations in work extraction is a problem of fundamental importance in thermodynamics. We approach this problem by considering that, in closed quantum systems, the maximum cyclic work extractable is equal to the ergotropy. us, we aim to identify and investigate the contributions to the ergotropy coming from di erent kinds of initial correlations (total, classical, discord and entanglement correlations). In particular, our results suggest that only discord correlations always give a positive contribution to work extraction.