Represents the payment premium amount on a debt instrument.

No definition available.

Name:	cdti_DebtInstrumentPaymentPremium
Namespace Prefix:	cdti_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of shares issued as payment of accrued interest and premium on debt.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cdti_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesIssuedForPaymentOfAccruedInterestAndPremiumOnDebt
Namespace Prefix:	cdti_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Exercise price per share or per unit of warrants or rights outstanding.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 235
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(i)(4))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ClassOfWarrantOrRightExercisePriceOfWarrantsOrRights1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of securities into which the class of warrant or right may be converted. For example, but not limited to, 500,000 warrants may be converted into 1,000,000 shares.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 235
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(i)(2))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ClassOfWarrantOrRightNumberOfSecuritiesCalledByWarrantsOrRights
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=34725769&loc=d3e28878-108400

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6451184&loc=d3e28551-108399

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of interest payable on debt, including, but not limited to, trade payables.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.15(5))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.15(a))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InterestPayableCurrentAndNoncurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ClassOfWarrantOrRightAxis=cdti_WarrantsIssuedJuly32013LiabilityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ClassOfWarrantOrRightAxis=cdti_WarrantsIssuedNovember112014LiabilityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_UnsecuredDebtMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=cdti_OnePointFiveMillion8PercentShareholderNoteDue2018Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SubsidiarySaleOfStockAxis=us-gaap_PrivatePlacementMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ClassOfWarrantOrRightAxis=cdti_WarrantsIssuedDecember302010Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Debt - 1.5 Million 8% Shareholder Note Due 2016 (Details) - USD ($)				12 Months Ended
	Jul. 03, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Dec. 30, 2010	Dec. 31, 2015	Oct. 07, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Nov. 11, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exercise price (in dollars per share)				$ 0.01		$ 1.25		$ 1.25
Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exercise price (in dollars per share)				4.50		10.40		$ 10.40
Warrants Issued July 3, 2013, Liability
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exercise price (in dollars per share)				$ 1.25		1.25
Warrants Issued November 11, 2014, Liability
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of shares into which warrants may be converted (in shares)					75,000		80,000
Exercise price (in dollars per share)					$ 1.75	$ 1.75	$ 1.75
Unsecured Debt \| 1.5 million 8% shareholder note due 2018
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face amount of debt			$ 1,500,000	$ 1,500,000		$ 1,500,000
Interest rate (as a percent)		8.00%	6.00%	8.00%		8.00%
Payment premium		$ 100,000		$ 250,000
Accrued interest		$ 135,000
Unsecured Debt \| 1.5 million 8% shareholder note due 2018 \| Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Payment premium			$ 100,000
Unsecured Debt \| 1.5 million 8% shareholder note due 2018 \| Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Payment premium			$ 200,000
Unsecured Debt \| 1.5 million 8% shareholder note due 2018 \| Private Placement
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Issuance of common stock as payment of accrued interest and payment premium on shareholder note (in shares)	188,000
Unsecured Debt \| 1.5 million 8% shareholder note due 2018 \| Warrants Issued July 3, 2013, Liability \| Private Placement
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of shares into which warrants may be converted (in shares)	94,000
Exercise price (in dollars per share)	$ 1.25
Unsecured Debt \| 1.5 million 8% shareholder note due 2018 \| Warrants Issued December 30, 2010
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of shares into which warrants may be converted (in shares)	25,000
Exercise price (in dollars per share)	$ 10.40