BiVO4 nanospheres were obtained through solution combustion synthesis (SCS) in presence of sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC). The CMC polymer had a double function, as a fuel and as a protecting agent in the particles growth process. The formation and characterization of oxide was carried out by simultaneous thermal analysis (TGA/DTA), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), and surface analysis (BET). The as-prepared BiVO4 nanospheres calcined at 300 degrees C exhibited higher photocatalytic activity under visible-light irradiation than BiVO4 samples prepared by coprecipitation and solid-state reaction methods in the degradation of rhodamine B (rhB). This behavior could be associated to their higher specific surface area (BET) and morphology. The analysis of the total organic carbon showed that the mineralization of rhB over a BiVO4 photocatalyst is feasible (43% after 100 h of irradiation). A mechanism of formation of BiVO4 nanospheres is also discussed. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.