An electrocatalytic method for the chemical addition of H to hydrocarbons was proposed in which the H that was formed by water electrolysis at the counter electrode of an electrochemical cell was delivered via conduction through a proton-conducting solid electrolyte. The working electrode of the cell served as a catalyst and promoted the reaction of the H and the hydrocarbon. The ability of "-alumina to perform as a catalyst and a H conductor was demonstrated. It was found that liquid water had to be in contact with the solid for conduction to occur at practical rates. It was also shown that ion exchange of the alkali metal ion with protonated cations such as H3O could be performed in situ.

D.R.Van der Vaart: Solid State Ionics, 1993, 67, 45-50