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	12 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			6 Months Ended			3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2012 Imprelis [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Imprelis [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Imprelis [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Agriculture [Member]		Jun. 30, 2011 Agriculture [Member]		Jun. 30, 2012 Agriculture [Member]		Jun. 30, 2011 Agriculture [Member]		Dec. 31, 2011 Agriculture [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Agriculture [Member] Imprelis [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Agriculture [Member] Imprelis [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Electronics and Communications [Member]		Jun. 30, 2011 Electronics and Communications [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Electronics and Communications [Member]		Jun. 30, 2011 Electronics and Communications [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Industrial Biosciences [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Industrial Biosciences [Member]		Jun. 30, 2012 Industrial Biosciences [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Industrial Biosciences [Member]		Jun. 30, 2012 Nutrition and Health [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Nutrition and Health [Member]		Jun. 30, 2012 Nutrition and Health [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Nutrition and Health [Member]		Jun. 30, 2012 Performance Chemicals [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Performance Chemicals [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Performance Chemicals [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Performance Chemicals [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Performance Coatings [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Performance Coatings [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Performance Coatings [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Performance Coatings [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Performance Materials [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Performance Materials [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Performance Materials [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Performance Materials [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Safety and Protection [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Safety and Protection [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Safety and Protection [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Safety and Protection [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Pharmaceuticals [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Pharmaceuticals [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Pharmaceuticals [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Pharmaceuticals [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Other [Member]		Jun. 30, 2011 Other [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Other [Member]		Jun. 30, 2011 Other [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Other [Member] INVISTA [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Other [Member] INVISTA [Member]
Segment sales	$ 11,111	$ 10,368	$ 22,456	$ 20,505				$ 3,388	[1]	$ 2,997	[1]	$ 7,468	[1]	$ 6,501	[1]				$ 795		$ 891	$ 1,472		$ 1,702	$ 300	$ 123		$ 588	$ 123		$ 885	$ 486		$ 1,693	$ 810		$ 1,968	$ 1,995	$ 3,868	$ 3,792	$ 1,089	$ 1,105	$ 2,139	$ 2,098	$ 1,699	$ 1,745	$ 3,299	$ 3,452	$ 986	$ 1,025	$ 1,927	$ 1,990	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 1		$ 1	$ 2		$ 37
Less: Transfers	105	104	220	207				2	[1]	0	[1]	4	[1]	0	[1]				5		5	9		10	2	1		5	1		0	0		0	0		69	69	146	136	0	0	0	0	24	26	50	54	3	3	6	6	0	0	0	0	0		0	0		0
Net sales	11,006	10,264	22,236	20,298				3,386	[1]	2,997	[1]	7,464	[1]	6,501	[1]				790		886	1,463		1,692	298	122		583	122		885	486		1,693	810		1,899	1,926	3,722	3,656	1,089	1,105	2,139	2,098	1,675	1,719	3,249	3,398	983	1,022	1,921	1,984	0	0	0	0	1		1	2		37
PTOI	1,898	1,943	4,225	4,068				661	[1],[2]	826	[1]	1,925	[1],[2]	1,937	[1]				197	[3]	103	230	[3]	214	44	(7)	[4]	85	(7)	[4]	112	5	[4]	195	30	[4]	538	503	1,050	897	92	73	179	138	317	254	557	542	127	143	227	288	16	80	43	130	(206)	[5]	(37)	(266)	[5]	(101)
Segment net assets								8,221				8,221				4,765
Increase in net assets												3,456
Product claims					(265)	(315)	(490)										(265)	(315)
Gain on sale of equity method investment	122	0	122	0															122			122
Charge related to litigation settlement																																																															(137)	(137)
Transaction related costs		$ (50)		$ (50)																						$ (17)			$ (17)			$ (33)			$ (33)

[1] As of June 30, 2012, Agriculture net assets were $8,221, an increase of $3,456 from $4,765 at December 31, 2011. The increase was primarily due to higher trade receivables due to normal seasonality in the sales and cash collections cycle.

[2] Included charges of $(265) and $(315) during the three and six months ended June 30, 2012, respectively, recorded in cost of goods sold and other operating charges associated with the company's process to fairly resolve claims associated with the use of Imprelis®. See Note 7 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 $(50) charge for transaction related costs and the fair value step-up of inventories that were acquired as part of the Danisco acquisition in 2011, which impacted the segments as follows: Industrial Biosciences - $(17) and Nutrition & Health - $(33).

[5] Included a $(137) charge recorded in cost of goods sold and other operating charges primarily related to the company's settlement of litigation with INVISTA. See Note 7 for additional information.