A model describing the dielectrophoretic alignment of gallium nitride nanowires suspended in a solvent is presented here. The variations in the dielectrophoretic forces experienced by nanowires in different dispersing solvents have been calculated. It is shown that the relative sizes of the nanowires with respect to the spherical microparticles play a major role in the dielectrophoretic forces experienced by them. (c) 2007 American Vacuum Society.