Structural modification of a 2D π-conjugated polymeric material (g-C3N4) through boron doping for extended visible light absorption

[Display omitted] •The structure of a 2-D π-conjugated Polymer (g-C3N4) has been customized by boron doping, with the purpose of charge carrier isolation, and increasing the light absorption capacity.•Boron atoms consistently covered the g-C3N4 sheets affirming the substantial collaboration between the two-layered materials through electrostatic interlink and charge exchange synergy.•The performance of boron-doped g-C3N4 was estimated through photocatalyst immobilized reactor under natural sunlight to treat phenolic effluent. The structural amendment of a 2D π-conjugated polymeric material (g-C3N4) has been done by a non-metal, i.e. boron to extend its visible light absorption. The boron atom provides a vacant p orbital to relocate π bonds inside the adjacent atomic rings, which annexes the electron mobility in the g-C3N4 sheets and thus obstructs the recombination rate along with extended light absorption. To affirm its photocatalytic performance, experiments were performed to treat real phenolic effluent under natural sunlight through solar-powered continuous flow reactor immobilized with catalyst on its surface. Degradation of phenol was observed to be 81.72 % under slight acidic condition, i.e. pH 5 with 1.5 g/L of chemical oxidant dose and 3 L/h reactor flow rate with boron-doped g-C3N4, whereas with g-C3N4 it was 65.81 %.