Consolidated Statements of Equity - USD ($) $ in Millions	Total	Union Carbide Corporation's Stockholder's Equity [Member]	Common Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive (Loss), Net of Tax [Member]
Balance at beginning of year at Dec. 31, 2015			$ 0	$ 138	$ 3,391	$ (1,228)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net Income Attributable to Union Carbide Corporation	$ 240				240
Dividends declared					(200)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax	11					11
Balance at end of period at Mar. 31, 2016			0	138	3,431	(1,217)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest		$ 2,352
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	1,798
Balance at beginning of year at Dec. 31, 2016			0	138	2,980	(1,320)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net Income Attributable to Union Carbide Corporation	173				173
Dividends declared					(169)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax	13					13
Balance at end of period at Mar. 31, 2017			$ 0	$ 138	$ 2,984	$ (1,307)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	$ 1,815	$ 1,815