The implementation of three-way catalytic converters has been one of the most effective means of reducing automobile pollution. The catalytic converter is placed in between a car’s engine and exhaust and serves as an air filter converting harmful byproducts of internal combustion into far less polluting compounds. However, modern catalytic converters still take anywhere from 60 to 300 seconds from the time of a cold start to heat up and reach light-off temperatures. Until light-off is reached, the catalyst washcoat does not react with incoming exhaust gas, and the harmful byproducts of internal combustion are exhausted into the atmosphere. Roughly 90% of modern automobile pollution occurs in the period between cold start and light off. Therefore, research is being done to reduce light-off temperatures and/or reduce the time required to reach the light-off phase. In the Fall of 2023, the goal of my project was to begin to develop a MATLAB code to simulate heat transfer in a catalytic converter using finite difference solutions to two-dimensional, transient conduction and convection, with the goal of Winter 2024 being to implement a variety of different materials and exhaust conditions to investigate possible methods of reducing automobile pollution that occurs between cold start ignition and light-off phase. The current state of this MATLAB code allows for deduction of temperature vs. time plots for various locations throughout the catalytic converter. With the code now fully developed, multiple materials have been implemented in order to investigate their respective effects on light off time. Aerogels have been the primary area of focus. This is because their high surface area and thermal mass properties make them a promising alternative to the current Alumina washcoat material generally implemented in catalytic converters. It has been observed through my simulation that replacement of Alumina based washcoats with Silica Aerogels can reduce light-off time by close to 90%.This poster will walk the viewer through the ins and outs of the simulation, as well as what the results could mean for the future of catalytic converter and automobile design and production.