The low-temperature plasma and a dielectric barrier discharge reactor were used to gasify poplar sawdust, cellulose, xylan and lignin. The control variable method was employed to study the effect of frequency, carrier gas on the gas production capacity, and the gasification characteristics of the chemical composition of biomass. The results showed that the lower frequency and carrier gas ionization energy could take the higher gasification rate, the best gasification rate of poplar was 64.11%. The gasification productions of xylan and cellulose were similar, the gas production rate was higher than that of cellulose and lignin and it could produce more CO. Also, lignin mainly produced coke. At the same time, SEM and BET were used to characterize the raw materials and coke, it was found that alkali metals were crystallized at high temperatures. Xylan could be melted during gasification. And the high power of plasma and more oxidizing substances could make the specific surface area of coke increased significantly, reached to 150.71m2/g. © 2021, Editorial Board of China Environmental Science. All right reserved.