Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Detail) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions		3 Months Ended
	Oct. 01, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) Segment $ / shares	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) $ / shares	Nov. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($)	May 31, 2017	Oct. 01, 2016 USD ($)
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Goodwill		$ 184			$ 154
Percentage of inventories utilizing LIFO cost flow assumption					7.00%
Retained earnings		1,555			$ 1,707
Cost of sales		542	$ 452
(Provision) for income taxes		205	18
Net (loss)		$ (122)	$ 55
Earnings (loss) per common share - basic: | $ / shares		$ (1.98)	$ 0.87
Earnings (loss) per common share - diluted: | $ / shares		$ (1.98)	$ 0.86
Inventories		$ 478			433
Deferred income taxes		$ 27			237
Number of business reportable segments | Segment		4
Accounting Standards Update 201609 [Member] | Reclassification of Excess Tax Benefit from Share-Based Compensation Awards from Cash Flows from Financing to Operating Activities [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Reclassification of tax benefit from share-based compensation awards			$ 5
Accounting Standards Update 201609 [Member] | (Provision) Benefit for Income Taxes [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Discrete tax benefit		$ 1
Change in Method of Accounting for Inventories from Last-in, First-out Method to First-in, First-out Method [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Retained earnings					1,707		$ 1,561
Cost of sales			452
(Provision) for income taxes			18
Net (loss)			$ 55
Earnings (loss) per common share - basic: | $ / shares			$ 0.87
Earnings (loss) per common share - diluted: | $ / shares			$ 0.86
Inventories					433
Deferred income taxes					237
Change in Method of Accounting for Inventories from Last-in, First-out Method to First-in, First-out Method [Member] | Effect of Change [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Retained earnings					24		17
Cost of sales			$ (2)
(Provision) for income taxes			1
Net (loss)			$ 1
Earnings (loss) per common share - basic: | $ / shares			$ 0.02
Earnings (loss) per common share - diluted: | $ / shares			$ 0.01
Inventories					37
Deferred income taxes					(13)
Change in Method of Accounting for Inventories from Last-in, First-out Method to First-in, First-out Method [Member] | As Originally Reported [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Retained earnings					1,683		$ 1,544
Cost of sales			$ 454
(Provision) for income taxes			17
Net (loss)			$ 54
Earnings (loss) per common share - basic: | $ / shares			$ 0.85
Earnings (loss) per common share - diluted: | $ / shares			$ 0.85
Inventories					396
Deferred income taxes					250
No Change in Method of Accounting for Inventories [Member] | Effect of Change [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Retained earnings		$ (24)
Earnings (loss) per common share - basic: | $ / shares		$ 0.01
Earnings (loss) per common share - diluted: | $ / shares		$ 0.01
Inventories		$ (37)
Deferred income taxes		13
Maximum [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 201609 [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Cumulative-effect of net charge to retained earnings	$ (1)
Maximum [Member] | No Change in Method of Accounting for Inventories [Member] | Effect of Change [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Cost of sales		1
(Provision) for income taxes		1
Net (loss)		$ 1
Buildings [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Useful life of property, plant and equipment		20 years
Buildings [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Useful life of property, plant and equipment		25 years
Machinery and Equipment [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Useful life of property, plant and equipment		10 years
Machinery and Equipment [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Useful life of property, plant and equipment		25 years
Other Fixed Assets [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Useful life of property, plant and equipment		3 years
Other Fixed Assets [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Useful life of property, plant and equipment		25 years
Purification Solutions [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Goodwill		$ 92			$ 92
Percentage of fair value in excess of carrying amount						13.00%
Tech Blend [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Identifiable intangible assets				$ 31
Goodwill				31
Tech Blend [Member] | Speciality Compounds Reporting Unit [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Goodwill				$ 31