To develop a series of cross-linked anion exchange membranes for application in fuel cells, poly(ethylene-co-tetrafluoroethylene) (ETFE) films was radiation grafted with vinyl benzyl chloride (VBC), followed by quatemization and crosslinking with 1,4-Diazabicyclo[2,2,2] octane (DABCO), alkylation with p-Xylylenedichloride (DCX), and quaternization again with trimethylamine (TMA). These anion exchange membranes were characterized in terms of water uptake, ion-exchange capacity, ionic conductivity as well as thermal stability. The chemical structures of the membranes were examined by FT-IR. The anion conductivity of the resulting alkaline anion exchange membrane is as high as 0.039 S cm(-1) at 30 degrees C in deionized water and the ionic conductivity increases with the increasing of temperature from 20 to 80 degrees C. The membrane is stable after being treated by 10 M potassium hydroxide solution at 60 degrees C for 120 h. The fuel cell performance with the final AAEM obtained in a H-2/O-2 single fuel cell at 40 degrees C with this AAEM was 48 mW cm(-2) at a current density of 69 mA cm(-2). Copyright (C) 2011, Hydrogen Energy Publications, LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.