Career

After graduating from the University of Breslau in 1882, he became an assistant to Moritz Traube (1826-1894) in his laboratory at Breslau. Afterwards, he served as a pharmacology assistant in Bonn (1883-1886) and later worked at the mineralogical institute in Clausthal (1887–1899). From 1897 to 1899 he worked at the institute of physical chemistry in Göttingen, and in 1899 became a professor of chemistry in Braunschweig.

With Richard Abegg (1869-1910), he introduced a theory of "electo-affinity".

Also, he is credited with the invention of a Gasgravimeter (gas gravimeter).

Achievements

• He was in line to succeed Walther Nernst (1864-1941) as chair of physical chemistry at the University of Göttingen, however Bodländer died at the age of 49 prior to attaining the position.