The message et
from "AutoTracer" contains these words:

A catalyst speeds up a chemical reaction without participating in it.

I think what you have in the tip is a bit of glass wool or a perforated
ceramic slug.

If it's like the soldering iron I used to have, it's platinum coated
glass wool. Gives you a flameless butane burn.

--
Skipweasel.
In the beginning was the word.
And the word was Aardvark.