Effect of essential inorganic metals on primary thermal degradation of lignocellulosic biomass

► Catalytic effects of K, Mg and Ca on thermal degradation of poplar wood were studied. ► Poplar wood were demineralized with HF. ► Demineralized poplar wood was immersed into the solutions containing KCl, MgCl2 and CaCl2. ► TGA and Py-GC/MS revealed that K catalyzed the formation of low molecular weight compounds. ► The presence of K in biomass suppressed the formation of levoglucosan during pyrolysis.