The steady and dynamic rheological behaviors of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (NaCMC) entangled semi-dilute solution filled with different concentrations of dodecyl-trimethylammonium bromide (C 12TAB) were investigated. The results reveal that the zero shear rate viscosity ( η 0) and dynamic modules ( G′and G″) increase with C 12TAB concentration ( C s ), and there exist three scaling regions divided by two critical C 12TAB concentrations ( C 1, C 2 and C 1 ′ , C 2 ′ , respectively, from steady and dynamic tests). The increase of viscosity and modules with C s is ascribed to formation of network due to C 12TAB micelles bridging NaCMC chains. The two critical C 12TAB concentrations implies that the structure evolution of NaCMC–C 12TAB complex is exposed to three states with increasing C s , i.e., no network formation, network extent progressive formation and perfect network formation, respectively. Moreover, C 1 ′ , C 2 ′ are a little lower than C 1, C 2, indicating that the dynamic test is more sensitive to detect the structure change of the complex as compared with steady test. Furthermore, it is found that as NaCMC concentration increases, C 1 ( C 1 ′ ) , C 2 ( C 2 ′ ) , C 1 ( C 1 ′ ) - CAC and C 2 ( C 2 ′ ) - CAC increase.