In recent years, nanofiber production via electrospinning has gained importance because of superior properties of submicron fibers. In this study, the effect of molecular weight, concentration of solution, electric conductivity, surface tension and solution viscosity of the polymer solution on the roller electrospinning of PVA nanofibers was investigated. One nonspinnable and two spinnable polymer species were studied. The effect of polymer concentration and solution viscosity on the electrospinning process throughput, fiber diameters and quality of nanofiber layers was measured. According to the results there is a significant difference in rheological behavior of nonspinnable and spinnable polymer solutions. Electric conductivity and surface tension of the solutions did not influence both throughput and fiber diameter significantly. Whereas molecular weight has an important effect on the spinnability, concentration of the solutions has not. On the contrary, concentration influences the process throughput considerably and properties of nanofibers and nanofiber layers to some extent. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 50:936-943, 2010. (C) 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers