Glass of composition SiO2-Al2O3-CaO- CaF2 (SACF) was made by conventional melting and quenching process using either normal or nano-SiO2. The glasses were characterized by differential thermal analysis (TG/DTA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and EDAX. The crystallization, microstructure, mechanical and chemical properties were compared for the two systems. It was observed that the nano silica containing glass ceramic have lower crystallization peak temperature (Tp), higher Vickers hardness and acid resistance than that of normal silica containing glass ceramics. © 2013 AIP Publishing LLC.