Graphitic　carbon　nitride　(CN)　has　been　reported　as　an　emerging　non-metallic　catalyst　for　the　oxidation　of　H2S　to　elemental　sulfur,　but　its　industrial　application　is　hampered　by　the　unsatisfactory　catalytic　activity.　Herein,　we　report　for　the　first　time　a　facile　bottom-up　approach　to　synthesize　porous　nanosheets　of　in-plane　carbon-conjugated　CN　(PCNUC)　using　cetyltrimethylammonium　bromide　(CTAB)　and　urea　as　precursors.　The　resulted　PCNUC　catalysts　are　porous　and　high　in　specific　surface　area　because　CTAB　acts　not　only　as　a　carbon　source　for　conjugation　with　CN　for　the　extension　of　pi-electron　system,　but　also　releases　gases　to　function　as　soft　template　to　create　porous　CN-based　sheets.　Thus,　the　carbon-conjugated　CN　displays　high　performance　for　the　catalytic　oxidation　of　H2S　to　S.　Furthermore,　the　optimized　PCNUC　catalyst　exhibits　better　durability　than　the　traditional　carbon-based　and　Fe2O3-based　catalysts.　The　results　of　the　present　study　open　up　a　new　avenue　for　the　design　of　efficient　CN-based　catalysts　for　desulfurization　reactions.　(C)　2019　Published　by　Elsevier　Ltd.