The pitch-based activated carbons were prepared with KOH/KMnO4 as a multiple function activation agent to increase the specific capacitance of a supercapacitor electrode active material. And the porous structure and electrochemical properties of activated carbon were analyzed on varying amounts of KMnO4. KMnO4 was decomposed into K2O, MnO, and O2 at the activation temperature of KOH, and MnO was introduced to activated carbon. K2O/ O2 reacts with a surrounding pitch to generate micropores and forms a pathway that exposes MnO to the outside. It also affects to the specific surface area of activated carbon like KOH chemical activation. The enhanced specific surface area and introduced MnO in activated carbon led to a 28.9% increase in specific capacitance.

This study is focused on manganese (Mn(II)) removal by potassium permanganate (KMnO4) in surface water. The effects of bicarbonate on Mn(II) indicated that bicarbonate could remove Mn(II), but it was not effectively. When 0.5 mg/L of Mn(II) was dissolved in tap water, the addition of KMnO4 as much as KMnO4 to Mn(II) ratio is 0.67 satisfied the drinking water regulation for Mn (i.e. 0.05 mg/L), and the main mechanism was oxidation. On the other hand, when the same Mn(II) concentration was dissolved in surface water, the addition of KMnO4, which was the molar ratio of KMnO4/Mn(II) ranged 0.67 to 0.84 was needed for the regulation satisfaction, and the dominant mechanisms were both oxidation and adsorption. Unlike Mn(II) in tap water, the increasing the reaction time increased Mn(II) removal when KMnO4 was overdosed. Finally, the optimum conditions for the removals of 0.5 - 2.0 mg/L Mn(II) in surface water were both KMnO4 to Mn(II) ratio is 0.67 - 0.84 and the reaction time of 15 min. This indicated that the addition of KMnO4 was the one of convenient and effective methods to remove Mn(II).