Anion exchange membranes (AEMs) with high stability are prepared for alkaline fuel cells using poly(arylene ether ketone)s (PAEKs) containing pendant imidazolium groups (via a direct step-growth polycondensation reaction). H-1 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (H-1 NMR) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy are used to analyze the chemical structure of the prepared PAEK membranes. The anion conductivity, water uptake and swelling ratio, thermal, mechanical, and chemical stability of these membranes are investigated for PAEK membranes with different 1-(3-aminopropyl)imidazole (API) molar ratios (PAEK-API-x) in details. The anion conductivity of PAEK-API-x membranes increases with increasing molar ratio of API. The membrane with API 1.5 equiv displays the highest anion conductivity (010053-0.0531 S cm(-1) from 30 degrees C to 80 degrees C). All prepared membranes show good chemical and mechanical stability as well as thermal stability up to 250 degrees C. This high anion conductivity with good thermal, mechanical, and chemical stability of the membrane show potential advantage to meet the demands for AEMs. (C) 2018 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.