Abstract: An electrolytic cell wherein one of the elements is comprised of a canal clathrate complex of benzophenone and a polyiodide salt of a cation from a group consisting of potassium (K.sup.+), sodium (Na.sup.+), cesium (Cs.sup.+), lithium (Li.sup.+), ammonium (NH.sub.4.sup.+), rubidium (Rb.sup.+) and tetraalkylammonium (R.sub.4 N.sup.+ where R is an alkyl group of less than five carbons). This complex functions through its tunnel-like dispositions of the cations, having certain unfilled sites and certain other sites occupied by the CHCl.sub.3 molecule, as a solid fast ion conductor. The same composition, again apparently because of the canal clathrate complex crystal structure, is adapted, by virtue of its electronic conductivity to function as an electrode in an electrolytic cell.