Abstract: Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) with carboxyl groups were prepared by acid reflux method and using fullerene carbon soot as raw material.CQDs can form worm-like micelles with tetradecyldimethylamine oxide (C₁₄DMAO) in aqueous solution when the CQDs replaced the traditional organic acid.The effects of CQDs mass concentration and pH on the rheological properties of worm-like micelles were investigated.It is found that both a higher mass concentration of CQDs and a lower pH will facilitate the formation of worm-like micelles.The worm-like micelles and CQDs can be observed in situ by cryo-TEM.The dissociation of H⁺ from CQDs could protonate C₁₄DMAO into C₁₄DMAOH⁺.The hydrogen bond formed between C₁₄DMAOH⁺ and C₁₄DMAO is the main driving force for the formation of worm-like micelles.The results above show that CQDs can effectively induce C₁₄DMAO to form worm-like micelles.

Key words: zwitterionic surfactant, carbon quantum dot, pH-responsive, worm-like micelle