Fifteen to 20 wt% polyetherimide (PEI) solutions with 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone (NMP) were prepared. The electrical conductivity and surface tension of the solutions were determined. The fiber spinning technique of electrospinning was optimized in order to prepare unidirectionally aligned, structurally oriented nanofiber tows. The morphology of the PEI fibers was investigated using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). The well-aligned fibers with diameters between 0.58 and 0.90 mu m (FESEM) were collected by electrospinning 20 wt% PEI solutions with NMP in the range of 810 kV onto a target rotating with a surface velocity 9.8 m/s. (C) 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.