Quaternized　poly(vinyl　alcohol)/chitosan　(QPVA/CS)　composite　membranes　were　prepared　by　solution　casting　method　with　AlCl3·6H2O　aqueous　solution　as　solvent　for　CS　and　glutaraldehyde　as　a　crosslinker.　The　crystalline,　thermal　and　mechanical　properties　of　the　QPVA/CS　composite　membranes　were　studied　by　Fourier　transform　infrared　spectroscopy,　X-ray　diffractometry,　differential　scanning　calorimetry,　thermogravimetry　and　tensile　test　measurements,　respectively.　The　composite　membranes　were　immersed　in　potassium　hydroxide　aqueous　solution　to　form　polymer　electrolyte　membranes.　The　alkaline　uptake,　swelling　ratio,　ion　conductivity　and　methanol　permeability　of　the　electrolyte　membranes　were　studied.　The　experimental　results　indicated　that　aluminum　chloride　hexahydrate　(AlCl3·6H2O)　had　a　positive　effect　on　the　mechanical　properties　of　the　QPVA/CS　composite　membrane.　The　elongation-at-break　of　this　membrane　reached　the　maximum　of　401.0%.　The　alkaline　uptake　and　swelling　ratio　of　the　composite　membranes　decreased.　With　the　addition　of　30 wt%　AlCl3·6H2O,　the　composite　membrane　showed　the　ion　conductivity　and　methanol　permeability　of　1.82 × 10−2 S cm−1　and　2.17 × 10−6 cm2 s−1,　respectively.　These　values　were　higher　than　those　of　the　membrane　with　acetic　acid　as　the　solvent　for　CS.　The　selectivity　of　the　QPVA/CS　membrane　could　reach　8.39 × 103 S s cm−3.　This　study　showed　that　with　AlCl3·6H2O　as　the　solution　for　CS,　the　high　performance　QPVA/CS　composite　alkaline　polymer　electrolyte　membrane　could　be　prepared.　©　2017,　Iran　Polymer　and　Petrochemical　Institute.