Stereological analysis of Zener pinning

Numerous models of Zener pinning in inhibited grain growth have been analysed from a stereological perspective. These analyses show that many differences among the models, such as the volume fraction exponent, are due to differences in assumed spatial location of the pinning particles. Including a stereological parameter describing the amount of contact between grain boundaries and particles yields a common volume fraction exponent of unity in essentially all models. A new general pinning criterion containing the degree of boundary contact parameter is derived.