Segment Information (Schedule of Segment Information) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	24 Months Ended	3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended					3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended			6 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended			6 Months Ended			3 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013 Imprelis [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Imprelis [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Imprelis [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Agriculture [Member]		Jun. 30, 2012 Agriculture [Member]		Jun. 30, 2013 Agriculture [Member]		Jun. 30, 2012 Agriculture [Member]		Dec. 31, 2012 Agriculture [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Agriculture [Member] Imprelis [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Agriculture [Member] Imprelis [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Agriculture [Member] Imprelis [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Agriculture [Member] Imprelis [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Electronics and Communications [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Electronics and Communications [Member]		Jun. 30, 2013 Electronics and Communications [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Electronics and Communications [Member]		Jun. 30, 2013 Industrial Biosciences [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Industrial Biosciences [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Industrial Biosciences [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Industrial Biosciences [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Nutrition and Health [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Nutrition and Health [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Nutrition and Health [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Nutrition and Health [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Performance Chemicals [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Performance Chemicals [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Performance Chemicals [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Performance Chemicals [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Performance Materials [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Performance Materials [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Performance Materials [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Performance Materials [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Safety and Protection [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Safety and Protection [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Safety and Protection [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Safety and Protection [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Pharmaceuticals [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Pharmaceuticals [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Pharmaceuticals [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Pharmaceuticals [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Other [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Other [Member]		Jun. 30, 2013 Other [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Other [Member]		Jun. 30, 2012 INVISTA [Member] Other [Member]
Segment sales	$ 9,925	$ 10,022	$ 20,419	$ 20,317				$ 3,631		$ 3,388		$ 8,300	[1]	$ 7,468							$ 653	$ 795		$ 1,269	$ 1,472		$ 304	$ 300	$ 593	$ 588	$ 865	$ 885	$ 1,733	$ 1,693	$ 1,782	$ 1,968	$ 3,367	$ 3,868	$ 1,670	$ 1,699	$ 3,229	$ 3,299	$ 1,017	$ 986	$ 1,924	$ 1,927	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 3	$ 1		$ 4	$ 2
Less: Transfers	81	105	167	220				2		2		7	[1]	4							5	5		9	9		4	2	7	5	0	0	0	0	53	69	107	146	16	24	35	50	1	3	2	6	0	0	0	0	0	0		0	0
Net sales	9,844	9,917	20,252	20,097				3,629		3,386		8,293	[1]	7,464							648	790		1,260	1,463		300	298	586	583	865	885	1,733	1,693	1,729	1,899	3,260	3,722	1,654	1,675	3,194	3,249	1,016	983	1,922	1,921	0	0	0	0	3	1		4	2
PTOI	1,777	1,961	4,018	4,384				861	[2]	682	[2]	2,342	[1],[2]	1,970	[2]						95	221	[3]	144	280	[3]	43	42	84	81	61	105	137	184	264	594	515	1,165	336	344	628	621	172	181	310	340	18	16	22	43	(73)	(224)	[4]	(164)	(300)	[4]
Segment net assets								9,207				9,207				4,756
Increase in net assets												4,451
Product claims					(80)	(115)	(865)										(80)	(265)	(115)	(315)
Gain on sale of equity method investment																						122
Charge related to litigation settlement																																																									$ (137)

[1] As of June 30, 2013, Agriculture net assets were $9,207, an increase of $4,451 from $4,756 at December 31, 2012. The increase was primarily due to higher trade receivables due to normal seasonality in the sales and cash collections cycle.

[2] Included charges of $(80) and $(115) during the three and six months ended June 30, 2013, respectively, and $(265) and $(315) during the three and six months ended June 30, 2012, respectively, recorded in other operating charges associated with the company's process to fairly resolve claims associated with the use of Imprelis®. See Note 9 for additional information.

[3] Included a $122 gain recorded in other income, net related to the sale of the company's interest in an equity method investment.

[4] Included a $(137) charge recorded in other operating charges related to the company's settlement of litigation with INVISTA.