Using density functional theory (DFT) in combination with nudged elastic band (NEB) method, the dissociative chemisorptions and diffusion processes of hydrogen on both pure and Fe-doped Mg(0 0 0 1) surfaces are studied. Firstly, the dissociation pathway of H-2 and the relative barrier were investigated. The calculated dissociation barrier (1.08 eV) of hydrogen molecule on a pure Mg(0 0 0 1) surface is in good agreement with comparable experimental and theoretical studies. For the Fe-doped Mg(0 0 0 1) surface, the activated barrier decreases to 0.101 eV due to the strong interaction between the s orbital of H and the d orbital of Fe. Then, the diffusion processes of atomic hydrogen on pure and Fe-doped Mg(0 0 0 1) are presented. The obtained diffusion barrier to the first subsurface is 0.45 eV and 0.98 eV, respectively. Finally, Chou method was used to investigate the hydrogen sorption kinetic mechanism of pure MgH2 and Mg mixed with 5 at.% Fe atoms composites. The obtained activation energies are 0.87 +/- 0.02 and 0.31 +/- 0.01 eV for H-2 dissociation on the pure surface and H atom diffusion in Fe-doped Mg surfaces, respectively. It suggests that the rate-controlling step is dissociation of H-2 on the pure Mg surface while it is diffusion of H atom in the Fe-doped Mg surface. And both of fitting data are matching well with our calculation results. Crown Copyright (C) 2009 Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.