The microwave assisted amidation of poly(ethylene-co-acrylic acid) (PEAA) with 2-(2-aminoethoxy)ethanol was performed to yield a hydroxy functionalized poly(ethylene) based copolymer (PEAAOH) in a single step. PEAAOH was used as a polyinitiator for the ring-opening polymerization of epsilon-caprolactone. The obtained graft copolymers were studied via H-1 NMR spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography, differential scanning calorimetry, polarized optical microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. Microscopy methods show a crystallization behavior of banded spherulites. (C) 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.