Abstract The adsorption and successive dehydrogenation mechanisms of NH3 on Pd-Cu (1 1 1) and Cu-Pd (1 1 1) surfaces (the Pd atoms substitution of the first and second layers of Cu (1 1 1) surfaces) have been systematically investigated by density functional theory (DFT) method with a periodic slab model. All possible adsorption configurations of relevant intermediates on Pd-Cu (1 1 1) and Cu-Pd (1 1 1) surfaces are identified. It is revealed that the adsorption configurations and corresponding adsorption energies of adsorbates are slightly changed on Pd-Cu (1 1 1) and Cu-Pd (1 1 1) surfaces. The adsorption energies of NHx(x = 0–3) species exhibit the following trend: NH3