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. Thus, we aim to identify and investigate the contributions to the ergotropy coming from different kinds of initial correlations (total, classical, discord and entanglement correlations). By doing so, we have introduced and studied quantifiers of correlations which are based on ergotropy. In particular, our results suggest that only discord correlations always give a positive contribution to work extraction, while total, classical and entanglement correlations can reduce the work extraction.