A series of novel polyimide electrolytes having long pendant sulfo- or phosphoalkoxy groups were synthesized for fuel-cell applications. Sulfodecyloxy-, phosphodecyloxy-, and sulfophenoxydodecyloxy-substituted benzidine monomers were synthesized from dihydroxybenzidine. These monomers were copolymerized with naphthalene tetracarboxylic dianhydiide and fluorenylidene dianiline to give the corresponding polyimides. A flexible, ductile, and self-standing membrane was obtained via casting from the polyimide solution. Because the acid groups were on long pendant side chains and away from the main chains, the polyimide membrane showed improved oxidative and hydrolytic stability in comparison with the polyimides with sulfonic acid groups on the main chains or on the short side chains. High thermal stability (no glass-transition temperature and a decomposition temperature > 200 degrees C) was also obtained. The polyimide membrane displayed high proton conductivity of 10(-1) S cm(-1) at 120 degrees C. (c) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.