On a special class of gibbs hard-core point processes modeling random patterns of non-overlapping grains

Inspired by issues of formal kinetics in materials science, we consider a class of processes with density with respect to an inhomogeneous finite Poisson point process, which may be regarded as a generalization of the classical Strauss hard-core process. We prove expressions for the intensity measure and the void probabilities, together with upper and lower bounds. A discussion on some special cases of interest, links with literature and a comparison between Matern I and Strauss hard-core process are also provided. We apply such a special class of point processes in modeling patterns of non-overlapping grains and in the study of the mean volume density of particular birth-and-growth processes.