To utilized biomass for optimum application, sweet potato vine (SPV) was studied on its pyrolytic characteristics by TGA and Py-GC/MS analysis as a representative of biomass with low lignin content and high extractives content. Results indicated that lignin, cellulose, hemicellulose and extractives contents were 7.85 wt.%, 33.01 wt.%, 12.25 wt.% and 37.12 wt.%, respectively. In bio-oil, sugars content firstly increased from 8.76 wt.% (350 degrees C) to 13.97 wt.% (400 degrees C) and then decreased to 9.19 wt.% (500 degrees C); linear carbonyls and linear acids contents decreased from 16.58 wt.% and 17.45 wt.% to 5.26 wt.% and 4.03 wt.%, respectively; furans content increased from 7.10 wt.% to 15.47 wt.%. The content 11.86 wt.% of levoglucose at 400 degrees C, 15.41 wt.% of acetic acid at 350 degrees C and 6.94 wt.% of furfural at 500 degrees C suggested good pyrolysis selectivity of SPV. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.