The invention relates to an electrode material having a glass pipe the inner wall surface of which is provided with a fluorophor layer and the inside of which is enclosed with rare gas and mercury, and a pair of electrodes arranged on two ends of the glass pipe; wherein the electrode is constituted by following Ni alloy which contains at least an element which is selected from a standard group composed of Ti, Hf, Zr, V, Fe, Nb, Mo, Mn, W, Sr, Ba, B, Th, Be, Si, Al, Y, Mg, In and rare earth elements and is more than or equal to 0.001% or less than or equal to 5.0% by mass, and the balance of Ni and impurities. The electrode is not constituted by Ni simple substance but the Ni alloy with the components as above, thus improving the electric discharge performance, oxidation resistance, sputtering resistance and reaction resistance to mercury, and realizing high brightness and long service life.