Significant Accounting Policies (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Jan. 01, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Net sales	$ 952	$ 914	$ 2,893	$ 2,696
Cost of sales	796	797	2,414	2,312
Inventory, Net					$ 210
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, Current	16		16			$ 18
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities			(12)	(82)
Effect of exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents			(4)	7
Change in cash and cash equivalents			22	(78)
Restricted Cash		18		18			$ 17
Cash and cash equivalents (including restricted cash of $0 and $16, respectively)	137	118	137	118		115	196
Other current assets	62		62		56	44
Accumulated deficit	(3,016)		(3,016)		$ (2,963)	(2,964)
Gross profit	156	117	479	384
Finished and in-process goods	291		291			221
Selling, general and administrative expense	72	77	231	233
Operating Income (Loss)	70	16	219	107
Other non-operating (income) expense, net	(1)	(5)	6	(10)
Epoxy, Phenolic and Coating Resins
Net sales	521	528	1,625	1,537
Forest Products Resins
Net sales	431	386	1,268	1,159
Previous Accounting Guidance [Member]
Increase (Decrease) in Restricted Cash				1
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities				(81)
Effect of exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents				5
Change in cash and cash equivalents				(79)
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value		100		100			$ 179
Previous Accounting Guidance [Member]
Net sales	952		2,892
Cost of sales	795		2,414
Inventory, Net	301		301
Other assets, current under previous accounting guidance	50		50
Accumulated deficit under previous accounting guidance	(3,018)		(3,018)
Gross profit	157		478
Selling, general and administrative expense		75		227
Operating Income (Loss)		18		113
Other non-operating (income) expense, net		3		4
Adjustments for New Accounting Pronouncement [Member]
Contract with Customer, Asset, Net	12		12
Net sales	0		1
Cost of sales	1		0
Inventory, Net	(10)		(10)			(11)
Increase (Decrease) in Restricted Cash				(1)
Effect of exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents				2
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents, Period Increase (Decrease), Excluding Exchange Rate Effect				1
Other current assets						12
Accumulated deficit	2		2			$ 1
Gross profit	$ (1)		$ 1
Selling, general and administrative expense		2		6
New Accounting Pronouncement or Change in Accounting Principle, Effect of Change on Operating Results		(2)		(6)
Other non-operating (income) expense, net		$ 2		$ 6