Aimed at the hydrogen production by gasification of wet biomass coupled CO2 absorption, the microstructures of chars produced from gasification of wet/pre-dried biomass and several possible stages of absorbent were studied with N-2 adsorption, XRD and SEM. The results show that all the chars examined have essentially microporous structures of pore size less than 2 nm, and the char obtained from gasification of wet biomass at 923 K exhibits larger surface area (A(BET)) of 430.87 m(2) g(-1) and total pore volume (V-pore) Of 0.188 m(3) g(-1) than those (368.15 m(2) g(-1) and 0.157 m(3) g(-1)) from pre-dried biomass at the same temperature. The great change of microstructures in the absorbents was observed in the gasification process. The CaO generated from the dehydration of Ca(OH)(2) has larger A(BET) and V-pore, than its former Ca(OH)(2), and the increase of pore mainly belongs to mesopores ranges (pore size between 2 nm and SO nm). However, the generated CaO suffers from a jam of mesopores with the formation of CaCO3 which will cause incomplete utilization. Although the burning of SR sample can realize CaO generation, the regenerated CaO with a totally deteriorated pore networks suggests poor reactivity. With the increase of temperature the CO2 absorption by CaO is weakened gradually except in low temperature range of less than 973 K, meaning that the maximum temperature of the process should not exceed the decomposition temperature of CaCO3. (C) 2008 International Association for Hydrogen Energy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.