A burner tip, and method of manufacture, has a support layer with an external surface exposed to combustion reactions and an unexposed internal surface defining at least one a passage therethrough to deliver fuel and combustion gasses, and a thermal protective layer disposed on at least part of the unexposed surface of the burner tip support layer. The thermal protective layer 22 has from about 5% to about 40% of an inorganic adhesive, from about 45% to about 92% of a filler, and from about 1% to about 20% of one or more emissivity agents.