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Financial Information by Segment - Financial Information by Reportable Segment (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions | 3 Months Ended | 6 Months Ended
--- | --- | ---
Mar. 31, 2016 | Mar. 31, 2015 | Mar. 31, 2016 | Mar. 31, 2015
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Revenues from external customers | $ 568 | $ 694 | $ 1,171 | $ 1,506
Income (loss) from continuing operations before taxes | 62 | 39 | 54 | 90
Operating Segments [Member] |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Revenues from external customers | 550 | 674 | 1,118 | 1,455
Income (loss) from continuing operations before taxes | 88 | 69 | 159 | 166
Unallocated and Other [Member] |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Revenues from external customers | 18 | 20 | 53 | 51
Income (loss) from continuing operations before taxes | (26) | (30) | (105) | (76)
Reinforcement Materials [Member] | Operating Segments [Member] |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Revenues from external customers | 261 | 358 | 549 | 818
Income (loss) from continuing operations before taxes | 34 | 27 | 60 | 80
Performance Chemicals [Member] | Operating Segments [Member] |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Revenues from external customers | 216 | 237 | 423 | 466
Income (loss) from continuing operations before taxes | 58 | 42 | 108 | 81
Purification Solutions [Member] | Operating Segments [Member] |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Revenues from external customers | 67 | 71 | 133 | 147
Income (loss) from continuing operations before taxes | (2) | 1 | (7) |
Specialty Fluids [Member] | Operating Segments [Member] |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Revenues from external customers | 6 | 8 | 13 | 24
Income (loss) from continuing operations before taxes | $ (2) | $ (1) | $ (2) | $ 5

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- Definition Sum of operating profit and nonoperating income or expense before Income or Loss from equity method investments, income taxes, extraordinary items, and noncontrolling interest. + 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.(h)(1)(i)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690 + Details
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