Segment Information (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended						1 Months Ended	30 Months Ended	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012		Jan. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2013	Jun. 30, 2014
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Pretax benefits (charges)			$ 401		$ (556)		$ (882)
Net restructuring adjustment		5			(3)
Benefit associated with prior year restructuring programs					16
Charge associated with restructuring actions		(19)
Restructuring charges	(299)		(440)				(134)
Gain on sale of equity method investment			0		9		122
Asset impairment charges							(275)
Imprelis [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Loss Contingency					(425)		(575)			(1,175)
Insurance recoveries			210		73				35
Agriculture [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Pretax benefits (charges)			316	[1],[2],[3]	(351)	[4],[5]	(469)	[6],[7],[8]
Pre-tax gain on sale of business, continuing operations			240				117
Net restructuring adjustment					1
Restructuring charges			(134)				(11)
Agriculture [Member] | Imprelis [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Loss Contingency					(425)		(575)
Insurance recoveries					73
Electronics & Communications [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Pretax benefits (charges)			(84)	[1]	(131)	[5],[9]	(37)	[10],[11],[7]
Net restructuring adjustment					(2)
Restructuring charges			(84)				(9)
Gain on sale of equity method investment							122
Asset impairment charges					(129)		(150)
Industrial Biosciences [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Pretax benefits (charges)			(13)	[1]	1	[5]	(3)	[7]
Net restructuring adjustment					1
Restructuring charges			(13)				(3)
Nutrition & Health [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Pretax benefits (charges)			(15)	[1]	6	[5]	(49)	[7]
Net restructuring adjustment					6
Restructuring charges			(15)				(49)
Performance Chemicals [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Pretax benefits (charges)			(21)	[1]	(74)	[12],[5]	(36)	[11],[7]
Net restructuring adjustment					(2)
Restructuring charges			(21)				(3)
Asset impairment charges							(33)
Performance Chemicals [Member] | Titanium Dioxide Antitrust Litigation [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Loss Contingency					(72)
Performance Materials [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Pretax benefits (charges)			292	[1],[13]	(16)	[5]	(104)	[11],[7]
Net restructuring adjustment					(16)
Charge associated with restructuring actions					(19)
Restructuring charges			(99)				(12)
Asset impairment charges							(92)
Safety & Protection [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Pretax benefits (charges)			(52)	[1]	4	[5]	(58)	[7]
Net restructuring adjustment					4
Restructuring charges			(52)				(58)
Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Pretax benefits (charges)			(22)	[1]	5	[5]	(126)	[14],[7]
Net restructuring adjustment					5
Restructuring charges			(22)				11
Other [Member] | INVISTA [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Charge related to litigation settlement							(137)
Employee Separation / Asset Related Charges, Net [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Benefit associated with prior year restructuring programs		24
Charge associated with restructuring actions		(9)
Restructuring charges			(375)
Asset impairment charges		(129)
Employee Separation / Asset Related Charges, Net [Member] | Performance Materials [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Charge associated with restructuring actions					(9)
Other income, net [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Charge associated with restructuring actions		(10)
Other income, net [Member] | Performance Materials [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Charge associated with restructuring actions					(10)
2014 Restructuring Program [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Restructuring charges			(562)								(263)
2014 Restructuring Program [Member] | Agriculture [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Restructuring charges			(134)
2014 Restructuring Program [Member] | Electronics & Communications [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Restructuring charges			(84)
2014 Restructuring Program [Member] | Industrial Biosciences [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Restructuring charges			(13)
2014 Restructuring Program [Member] | Nutrition & Health [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Restructuring charges			(15)
2014 Restructuring Program [Member] | Performance Chemicals [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Restructuring charges			(21)
2014 Restructuring Program [Member] | Performance Materials [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Restructuring charges			(99)
2014 Restructuring Program [Member] | Safety & Protection [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Restructuring charges			(52)
2014 Restructuring Program [Member] | Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Restructuring charges			(22)
2014 Restructuring Program [Member] | Employee Separation / Asset Related Charges, Net [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Restructuring charges	(234)		(497)
2014 Restructuring Program [Member] | Other income, net [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Charge associated with restructuring actions	(65)		(65)
2014 Restructuring Program [Member] | Other income, net [Member] | Performance Materials [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Charge associated with restructuring actions			(65)
Asset Related [Member] | 2014 Restructuring Program [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Restructuring charges			(226)
GLS/Vinyls [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Pre-tax gain on sale of business, continuing operations			$ 391

[1] Included a $(440) restructuring charge associated with the 2014 restructuring program consisting of $(375) recorded in employee separation/asset related charges, net, and $(65) recorded in other income, net. The pre-tax charges by segment are: Agriculture - $(134), Electronics & Communications - $(84), Industrial Biosciences - $(13), Nutrition & Health - $(15), Performance Chemicals - $(21), Performance Materials - $(99), Safety & Protection - $(52), and Other - $(22). See Note 3 for additional information.

[2] Included a gain of $240 recorded in other income, net associated with the sale of the copper fungicide and land management businesses, both within the Agriculture segment.

[3] Included income of $210 for 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 15 for additional information.

[4] 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 15 for additional information.

[5] 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.

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

[7] 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.

[8] 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 15 for additional information.

[9] Included 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.

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

[11] 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

[12] Included a $(72) charge recorded in other operating charges related to the titanium dioxide antitrust litigation.

[13] Included a gain of $391 recorded in other income, net associated with the sale of Glass Laminating Solutions/Vinyls. See Note 2 for additional information.

[14] Included a $(137) charge in other operating charges primarily related to the company's settlement of the 2008 lawsuit filed by subsidiaries of Koch Industries, Inc. (INVISTA).