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

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