GuarantorNon-Guarantor Subsidiary Financial Informa Guarantor Statement of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	$ 113	$ 142	$ 128
Cash flows from investing activities: [Abstract]
Capital expenditures	(170)	(117)	(115)
Increase (Decrease) in Restricted Cash	3	0	0
Purchases of intangible assets	(2)	(2)	(3)
Proceeds from Sale of Property, Plant, and Equipment	0	1	2
Net cash used in investing activities	(168)	(117)	(116)
Cash flows from financing activities: [Abstract]
Proceeds from (Repayments of) Short-term Debt	(1)	0	(1)
Repayments of Long-term Debt	0	(16)	(10)
Proceeds from Other Equity	0	0	1
Dividends	1
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities	(1)	(16)	(10)
Decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(56)	9	2
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	5	(2)	(8)
Cash	173	224	217	$ 223
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock	0	0	1
Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	18	63	(33)
Cash flows from investing activities: [Abstract]
Capital expenditures	0	0	0
Increase (Decrease) in Restricted Cash	0
Purchases of intangible assets	0	0
Proceeds from Sale of Property, Plant, and Equipment		0
Proceeds from return of capital	0	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities	0	0	0
Cash flows from financing activities: [Abstract]
Proceeds from (Repayments of) Short-term Debt	0	(3)	(1)
Repayments of Long-term Debt		(16)
Proceeds from Contributions from Affiliates	(42)	(61)	23
Dividends	0	0
Intercompany dividends	(1)
Return of capital	0	0	0
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities	(43)	(81)	12
Decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(25)	(18)	(21)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	0	0	0
Cash	14	39	57	78
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	(13)	61	52
Cash flows from investing activities: [Abstract]
Capital expenditures	(72)	(56)	(54)
Increase (Decrease) in Restricted Cash	0
Purchases of intangible assets	(1)	(2)
Proceeds from Sale of Property, Plant, and Equipment		1
Proceeds from return of capital	53	60	48
Net cash used in investing activities	(29)	3	(7)
Cash flows from financing activities: [Abstract]
Proceeds from (Repayments of) Short-term Debt	0	0	0
Repayments of Long-term Debt		0
Proceeds from Contributions from Affiliates	68	(1)	49
Dividends	(26)	(64)
Intercompany dividends	0
Return of capital	0	0	0
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities	42	(65)	(52)
Decrease in cash and cash equivalents	0	(1)	(7)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	0	0	0
Cash	1	1	2	9
Non-guarantor subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	171	112	218
Cash flows from investing activities: [Abstract]
Capital expenditures	(98)	(61)	(61)
Increase (Decrease) in Restricted Cash	3
Purchases of intangible assets	1	0
Proceeds from Sale of Property, Plant, and Equipment		0
Proceeds from return of capital	0	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities	(87)	(61)	(61)
Cash flows from financing activities: [Abstract]
Proceeds from (Repayments of) Short-term Debt	(1)	3	0
Repayments of Long-term Debt		0
Proceeds from Contributions from Affiliates	(26)	62	(72)
Dividends	(35)	(28)
Intercompany dividends	0
Return of capital	(53)	(60)	(48)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities	(115)	(23)	(127)
Decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(31)	28	30
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	5	(2)	(8)
Cash	158	184	158	136
MPM Inc [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	115	144	129
Cash flows from investing activities: [Abstract]
Capital expenditures	(170)	(117)	(115)
Increase (Decrease) in Restricted Cash	(3)	0	0
Purchases of intangible assets	(2)	(2)	(3)
Proceeds from Sale of Property, Plant, and Equipment	0	1	2
Proceeds from return of capital	0	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities	(169)	(118)	(116)
Cash flows from financing activities: [Abstract]
Proceeds from (Repayments of) Short-term Debt	(1)	0	(1)
Repayments of Long-term Debt	0	(16)	(10)
Proceeds from Contributions from Affiliates	0	0	0
Dividends	0	0
Intercompany dividends	(1)
Return of capital	0	0	0
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities	(2)	(17)	(11)
Decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(56)	9	2
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	5	(2)	(8)
Cash	173	224	217	223
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	(61)	(92)	(108)
Cash flows from investing activities: [Abstract]
Capital expenditures	0	0	0
Increase (Decrease) in Restricted Cash	0
Purchases of intangible assets	0	0
Proceeds from Sale of Property, Plant, and Equipment		0
Proceeds from return of capital	(53)	(60)	(48)
Net cash used in investing activities	(53)	(60)	(48)
Cash flows from financing activities: [Abstract]
Proceeds from (Repayments of) Short-term Debt	0	0	0
Repayments of Long-term Debt		0
Proceeds from Contributions from Affiliates	0	0	0
Dividends	61	92
Intercompany dividends	0
Return of capital	53	60	48
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities	114	152	156
Decrease in cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	0	0	0
Cash	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0