Segment Information (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended							30 Months Ended	12 Months Ended									3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended																							3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended																	3 Months Ended				12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended				12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011 Danisco [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Imprelis [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Imprelis [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Imprelis [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Imprelis [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Agriculture [Member]		Dec. 31, 2012 Agriculture [Member]		Dec. 31, 2011 Agriculture [Member]		Dec. 31, 2013 Agriculture [Member] Imprelis [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Agriculture [Member] Imprelis [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Agriculture [Member] Imprelis [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Electronics and Communications [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Electronics and Communications [Member]		Dec. 31, 2012 Electronics and Communications [Member]		Dec. 31, 2013 Industrial Biosciences [Member]		Dec. 31, 2012 Industrial Biosciences [Member]		Dec. 31, 2011 Industrial Biosciences [Member]		Dec. 31, 2011 Industrial Biosciences [Member] Danisco [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Nutrition and Health [Member]		Dec. 31, 2012 Nutrition and Health [Member]		Dec. 31, 2011 Nutrition and Health [Member]		Dec. 31, 2011 Nutrition and Health [Member] Danisco [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Performance Chemicals [Member]		Dec. 31, 2012 Performance Chemicals [Member]		Dec. 31, 2013 Performance Chemicals [Member] Titanium Dioxide Antitrust Litigation [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Performance Materials [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Performance Materials [Member]		Dec. 31, 2012 Performance Materials [Member]		Dec. 31, 2011 Performance Materials [Member]		Dec. 31, 2013 Safety and Protection [Member]		Dec. 31, 2012 Safety and Protection [Member]		Dec. 31, 2013 Other [Member]		Dec. 31, 2012 Other [Member]		Dec. 31, 2011 Other [Member]		Dec. 31, 2012 Other [Member] INVISTA [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Employee Separation / Asset Related Charges, Net [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Employee Separation / Asset Related Charges, Net [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Employee Separation / Asset Related Charges, Net [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Employee Separation / Asset Related Charges, Net [Member] Performance Materials [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Employee Separation / Asset Related Charges, Net [Member] Performance Materials [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Other income, net [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Other income, net [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Other income, net [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Other income, net [Member] Performance Materials [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Other income, net [Member] Performance Materials [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Pretax benefits (charges)		$ (556)	$ (882)	$ (411)						$ (351)	[1],[2]	$ (469)	[3],[4],[5]	$ (225)	[6],[7]					$ (131)	[1],[8]	$ (37)	[10],[3],[9]	$ 1	[1]	$ (3)	[3]	$ (79)	[11],[12]		$ 6	[1]	$ (49)	[3]	$ (126)	[11],[12]		$ (74)	[1],[13]	$ (36)	[3],[9]			$ (16)	[1]	$ (104)	[3],[9]	$ 47	[12],[14]	$ 4	[1]	$ (58)	[3]	$ 5	[1]	$ (126)	[15],[3]	$ (28)	[12]
Loss Contingency						(425)	(575)	(175)	(1,175)							(425)	(575)	(175)																								(72)
Insurance recoveries						73										73
Net restructuring adjustment	5	(3)								1										(2)				1							6							(2)						(16)						4				5
Benefit associated with prior year restructuring programs		16																																																											24
Charge associated with restructuring actions	(19)																																										(19)	(19)																	(9)			(9)	(9)	(10)			(10)	(10)
Gain on sale of a business		2,687	0	0								117																																				49																			117
Restructuring charges			(134)	(53)								(11)										(9)				(3)		(9)					(49)		(14)					(3)						(12)		(2)				(58)				11		(28)				(66)
Gain on sale of equity method investment		9	122	0																		122																																														122
Asset impairment charges			(275)																(129)	(129)		(150)																		(33)						(92)															(129)	(33)	(242)
Charge related to litigation settlement																																																												(137)
Milestone payment associated with licensing agreement														(50)
Acquisition related charges					$ (182)																									$ (70)							$ (112)

[1] Included a net $(3) restructuring adjustment consisting of a $16 benefit associated with prior year restructuring programs and a $(19) charge associated with restructuring actions related to a joint venture. The majority of the $16 net reduction recorded in Employee separation/asset related charges, net was due to the achievement of work force reductions through non-severance programs associated with the 2012 restructuring program. The charge of $(19) included $(9) recorded in Employee separation/asset related charges, net and $(10) recorded in Other income, net and was the result of restructuring actions related to a joint venture within the Performance Materials segment. Pre-tax amounts by segment were: Agriculture - $1, Electronics & Communications - $(2), Industrial Biosciences - $1, Nutrition & Health - $6, Performance Chemicals - $(2), Performance Materials - $(16), Safety & Protection - $4; and Other - $5. See Note 3 for additional information.

[2] Included charges of $(425), offset by $73 of insurance recoveries, recorded in Other operating charges associated with the company's process to fairly resolve claims related to the use of Imprelis®. See Note 16 for additional information.

[3] Included a $(134) restructuring charge recorded in Employee separation/asset related charges, net primarily as a result of the company's plan to eliminate corporate costs previously allocated to Performance Coatings and cost-cutting actions to improve competitiveness, partially offset by a reversal of prior year restructuring accruals. Charges by segment were: Agriculture - $(11); Electronics & Communications - $(9); Industrial Biosciences - $(3); Nutrition & Health - $(49); Performance Chemicals - $(3); Performance Materials - $(12); Safety & Protection - $(58); and Other - $11. See Note 3 for additional information.

[4] Included a $117 gain recorded in Other income, net associated with the sale of a business.

[5] Included a $(575) charge recorded in Other operating charges associated with the company's process to fairly resolve claims related to the use of Imprelis®. See Note 16 for additional information.

[6] Included a $(175) charge recorded in Other operating charges associated with the company's process to fairly resolve claims associated with the use of Imprelis®. See Note 16 for additional information.

[7] Included a $(50) charge recorded in Research and development expense in connection with a milestone payment associated with a Pioneer licensing agreement. Since this milestone was reached before regulatory approval was secured by Pioneer, it was charged to Research and development expense.

[8] ncluded a $(129) impairment charge recorded in Employee separation/asset related charges, net related to an asset grouping within the Electronics & Communications segment. See Note 3 for additional information.

[9] Included a $(275) impairment charge recorded in Employee separation/asset related charges, net related to asset groupings, which impacted the segments as follows: Electronics & Communications - $(150); Performance Chemicals - $(33); and Performance Materials - $(92). See Note 3 for additional information.

[10] Included a $122 gain recorded in Other income, net associated with the sale of an equity method investment.

[11] Included a $(182) charge for transaction related costs and the fair value step-up of inventories that were acquired as part of the Danisco transaction, which impacted the segments as follows: Industrial Biosciences - $(70) and Nutrition & Health - $(112).

[12] Included a $(53) restructuring charge primarily related to severance and related benefit costs associated with the Danisco acquisition impacting the segments as follows: Industrial Biosciences - $(9); Nutrition & Health - $(14); Performance Materials - $(2); and Other - $(28).

[13] Included a $(72) charge recorded in Other operating charges related to the titanium dioxide antitrust litigation. See Note 16 for additional information.

[14] Included a $49 benefit recorded in Other income, net associated with the sale of a business.

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