A coating formulation for application to surfaces associated with combustion, such as fuel injectors, and surfaces subjected to elevated temperatures, such as fuel supply components, to prevent the deposition at high temperatures of carbon or graphite on such surfaces, such as stainless steel and alloyed steel compositions. The coating formulation forms a thin layer of polymer coating on the surface by chemical grafting involving the use of a graft initiator to create active bonding sites, on the metal surface, for the silicone-based prepolymer to undergo polymerization on the metal surface. The bonding and polymerization are completed in a single application process without using complex equipment. The coating and process helps surfaces associated with combustion and surfaces subjected to elevated temperature reduce carbon or coke formation at temperatures up to 700° F. and thereby improves the durability and performance of those surfaces.